Centering 30 × 30 conservation initiatives on freshwater ecosystems

Abstract

Regional, national, and international 30 × 30 conservation initiatives would be strengthened by including a specific focus on freshwater ecosystem conservation that supplements terrestrial conservation strategies. Globally, freshwater habitats support essential biodiversity and ecosystem services, yet are being lost at disproportionately high rates relative to terrestrial systems. Making freshwater ecosystems an explicit focus of 30 × 30 initiatives would assist in curtailing these losses while advancing 30 × 30's mission to address climate change, economic sustainability, food security, and equitable outdoor access across a variety of landscapes. Here, we explain how fresh water can serve as a key piece of 30 × 30 conservation efforts. We emphasize that to address the challenges of traditional area‐based conservation programs, 30 × 30 should (1) focus on watershed‐scale conservation planning and (2) evaluate conserved areas based on five freshwater priorities: connectivity, watershed disturbance, flow alteration, water quality, and biodiversity. We use examples from the US state of California to illustrate how addressing freshwater systems can help guide 30 × 30 conservation.